Someone mentioned in another 717 thread that 717 is more for
“serious shooting”. I find it quite true (+ bonus of the best video
ability
).
I take issue with this assessment. There is nothing about the 717 that makes it more serious than the G3. As has been pointed out countless times, each camera has its strong and weak points, and which is best depends on your particular needs.
Would you consider a photojournalist a "serious" shooter? I frequently see news photographers taking pictures over a crowd by holding their camera over their heads with one hand. Can't really do that with the 717. In a war-like situation, one would need to have one hand free at times while being able to shoot the camera with the other. Not an ideal scenario for the 717.
When you say "serious", perhaps what you really mean is tediously planned photography with plenty of time and advance notice to set up your shot, preferably with a tripod. This includes portraits, landscpe photos, etc.
Let's not forget that the Sony lacks many "serious" features that would be indispensable to a pro, not the least of which are RAW mode and CF compatibility.
I once complained the parameters shown on 717’s CLD are
tooooo small for a easy read. Now, I’ve understood why: “serious
hobby photographer” is supposed to use EVF where all parameters are
very well readable.
The main reason Sony provided an EVF is not because it's better, but because it's the only practical solution when dealing with a 5X lens. Once they had the EVF in place (which does not provide the brightness or clarity of an optical viewfinder) the data display merely came along as icing on the cake.
While shooting this way, I suddenly got the
familiar feels of SLR camera: By using EVF, one can control the
framing and focusing much better than using LCD, and one can hold
the camera more sturdily.
An optical viewfinder offers a brighter and clearer view for focusing. And the only significant downside to the G3's optical viewfinder for framing purposes is the lens obstruction at wide angle, which is more of an annoyance than an actual impediment. There is nothing about an EVF that lets you hold the camera more securely than with an optical viewfinder.
On the 717 one does the zooming and
focusing with the left hand and presses the release button with the
right hand, just like in the “good old time”. While working with
the G3, the right hand is to busy, particularly, after move of the
MF button from left side to the right side (why!!!???).
The 717 has "some" ergonomic avantages due to its larger size and gargantuan lens assembly. Actually, I consider the focusing ring to be more significant than the zoom control. I have no problem witht he zoom control of the G3.
But let's not forget that the 717's large and awkward body have some serious ergonomic drawbacks in other areas, that make it impossible, not just more difficult, to use the camera in certain ways.
I really like 717’s AF, not only because it’s a bit faster than the
G3, but also the way how it works (I guess there’s no difference
between single focus and continuous focus on the 717): It simply
continues doing focus around the subject until the it appears
sharpest and marks the final location and the form of the focus
zone – just like my old SLR camera.
I suspect that the 717's very fast lens take a lot of credit for this. The more light you have, the easier it is to focus. THis is also a big part of the reason why cameras with very slow lenses, like the Nikons, have very poor AF performance.
Anyway, you're just repeating what's already been staqted ad nauseum - the 717 has good, fast AF. Nothing new there.
On the contrary, G3’s
continuous focus mode is useless. While working in single focus
mode, after half-pressing the release button for a re-focus, one
sees (in LCD) the picture is “frozen” for a short time (evokes the
feel of long lag – quite annoying).
Canon offers this as an option, and it is quite effective in reducing AF times during a shooting session with subjects within a certain range. In cases where continuous focusing would be best, G3 owners stil have that option. Again, the 717's advantage is not continuous AF, but the fast lens that allows for faster AF.
I have a Sony DSC-S85, with continuous AF only. My camera has an f2.0 lens and the AF sucks much of the time. I WISH I had been given the option of selecting single hot focus mode, as it would dramatically improve AF speeds in certain cases, such as when I have the camera tucked in my lap and frequently need to take it out and shoot at a far away subject. Each time, the camera has to go from its closes focus setting (my lap) to the farthest (the subject). So again, there's nothing groundbreaking about Sony's AF. It all boils down to the 717's very fast lens.
Personally, I find G3’s so-called flexi-focus
zone totally unpractical. Using exposure lock + pre-focusing for
the middle point is much faster and convenient (while trying this
G3 function I failed to reset the default focus zone +back into the
middle quickly).
Canon does not make generalizations and assumptions about what's best for the photographer, and they try to always leave the choices to the photographer. Since Sony's roots are in consumer electronics and not professional photography, their philosophy is the complete opposite.
FlexiZone is not meant to be the best or only method of shooting. It's just another creative option made available to the photographer by Canon. You are free to sue it or not use it as you see fit. Sonu thinks you're too stupid to handle choices like this, so they don't offer them.
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